Chapter 31

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

“What do you think, Wife?”

Damien suddenly asked Chloe for an opinion. The eyes of the gentlemen who were seated were naturally focused on her. Chloe smiled after wiping her lips with a napkin.

“I don’t know much about politics or diplomacy because I am an outsider.”

As if they didn’t expect much of an opinion, Chloe spoke as soon as the gathered people turned their gaze away.

“But I know that everyone is tired of the war.”

A quiet silence fell on the table. Damien raised the glass and gave her a wink to continue.

“If we conquer the Principality of Carter, it will be good for the people in the end.

“Winning or losing a war is something no one can predict. It is true that Swanton won the war against the Principality of Carter, but we cannot be sure that their fighting power is always weak.”

“Go on.”

“If they ever ask other countries for aid, the situation will get out of hand. As Earl Weiss said, Principality of Carter is a country that can take full advantage of its geographical advantage as an island nation.”

“You have a wide knowledge, Duchess.”

Weiss gave a little admiration, and Chloe smiled politely.

“You praise me too much.”

“In this situation, does that mean that we should just wait and see that the Principality is summoned? They have already started raising tariffs on imported goods from our kingdom.”

Damien asked Chloe again.

“I see..”

“Any opinions on that?”

It was like a tenacious question. It was not uncommon for a lively exchange of opinions to take place in the presence of the duke, but Chloe was burdened by this situation where everyone at the table was focused on her.

“I’m just being careful about giving my opinion on conversations between those with a high status.”

“Is there anyone who has a higher status than you in this place besides me?”

Chloe grabbed the napkin and let it go, then took a breath. If the Duke was going to disgrace her in public, she had no intention of being docile.

“I think it would be ideal to have a peace treaty with the Principality of Carter. The Principality will also be spared from the dangers of war, which would be a good proposition for them.”

“Promises are not always kept. It breaks more often than not.”

“You just have to make it unbreakable.”

“How?”

It was as if only the Duke and Duchess were left at the table. While everyone held their breath and listened to their tense conversation, Chloe opened her mouth.

“A marriage alliance is probably the strongest.”

If you bind the royal family and share bloodlines, you will be in a situation where you cannot betray each other. But Damien looked at her and shook his head.

“It is said that there is the only son who can inherit the Principality, but we are in a situation where we cannot properly understand his identity because he has hidden it, and there is no princess in the royal family.”

Chloe gave him a look of incomprehension.

“Isn’t Prince Johannes there? There are three unmarried princesses in the Principality of Carter besides their son who is the next heir.”

Damien tilted his chin, then finally grinned. As a signal of that, laughter erupted again on the table. Chloe couldn’t figure out why everyone except her was looking at each other and smiling meaningfully.

“It is terrifying to even imagine. Marrying the prince. A catastrophe is about to happen.”

“Rather, the Principality of Carter might be furious and attack us instead.”

“It is not that there is no profit. Ordinary people might think that way, so we can use it in reverse.”

The feeling that something was being ridiculed made her feel worse. Chloe struggled to clean up her expression and continue with the rest of her meal, but she grew increasingly convinced that the Duke was trying to disgrace her.

“Anyway, it’s clear that the Duchess doesn’t read ‘The Red Veil’.”

Chloe’s face hardened a little. The first and last time she saw the gossip newspaper, ‘The Red Veil,’ was in Verdier’s dress shop. As she remembered the faces of the duke and his mistress filling the front pages of the newspaper, her heart began to churn.

“Weiss, do you think that is an appropriate topic now? I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Someone who remembered the Duke’s scandal belatedly spat it out, but it was already spilled water. Damien took another drink and asked her.

“No, I am curious. Have you ever read ‘The Red Veil,’ Wife?”

“Only by chance.”

“Yes?”

Damien raised his eyebrows, showing interest.

“But what was written there didn’t really resonate with me. It’s just provocative news from third-rate gossip. A true nobleman in this country would not read such a low-level article.”

Chloe answered with a harmless and calm expression. It was fortunate that no one saw her hands trembling as she gripped the napkin under the table.

“I guess I married the last true nobleman in this country?”

Damien burst out laughing. The atmosphere at the table, which had been tense for a while, returned to the starting point again as he smiled as if he was genuinely happy.

“Once again congratulations on your marriage, Duke.”

“I think you can see why the Duke rushed to get married. I was all nervous.”

“Don’t stare at your old boss’s wife and shorten your life, Weiss.”

“After a bullet went through my temple in war, I never stared again.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha.”

Chloe couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up.

“Dessert is a little late. I’ll have to go out and check on it.”

The moment she left the banquet hall, the smile completely disappeared from her face. Chloe’s stomach was churning and she wanted to empty out everything she ate. She felt like an idiot for forgetting that people who were close to the duke would have implicitly known the existence of his mistress.

She knew that infidelity was rampant in aristocratic society. But…. The duke, who called himself to a place full of people who knew the truth, and the duke’s friends who praised her while feigning ignorance were all the worst. She had a good impression of the Duke’s friends, but it was also a misunderstanding.

‘… How long will it take before I become dull?’

Chloe saw a servant pulling a cart full of dessert. She had a useless imagination that the moment she walked down the hallway it would never end.

***

It was midnight when Chloe noticed the quiet commotion in the castle. Someone was sobbing in the hallway.  A voice that seemed to comfort her followed.

“Let’s go outside, Eliza. If the master knows, you won’t be safe!”

“I have dedicated my whole life to this family… !”

“What’s going on?”

Chloe opened the door and saw Eliza’s face covered in cold sweat. Her hair, which was always neatly trimmed, was in a mess. After the dismissal was decided, she was due to leave the castle in a few days.

“My grandson has a fever and is faint. He’s speaking nonsense. Please let me see the family doctor, little madam.”

Chloe didn’t hesitate.

“You need to call the doctor right away.”

“What? Madam, but we cannot call for the physician without the master’s orders… .”

A small spark flashed in Chloe’s eyes as she looked at the hesitant servant.

“Are you planning to disturb the Duke’s sleep this late at night? Or have you forgotten that I am the hostess.”

“I will call for him right away, Lady.”

After the servant hurriedly disappeared with a surprised expression, Chloe hurriedly opened the closet. Inside were her numerous luggage bags, organized by size.

“Can you help me?”

Eliza, who scolded her for having brought twelve luggage bags from Verdier, stood dazed and hurriedly approached her.

“Please take out the blue bag at the bottom.”

Eliza pulled out the blue luggage bag with great force. As Chloe untied the knot on the leather bag, another square bag emerged from it. Chloe grabbed the bag and picked up her cane.

“I’m going to see the child until the doctor arrives. Go ahead, Eliza.”

“M… Madam.”

“Fever is a race against time. Hurry!”

Eliza lived in the private huts of the servants gathered in the woods behind the castle. Chloe came out with only a woolen coat over her thin nightgown. Chloe, who had fallen several times in the snow while walking fast to keep up with the urgent steps of Eliza, bit her lips tightly.

“M… Madam.”

“Eliza. Can you pick me up?”

Eliza knelt before her without hesitation. With the slender Duchess on her back, Eliza ran with superhuman strength.

By the time Chloe and Eliza’s bodies were covered with snow, they managed to reach the hut. The child’s condition was serious. He looked like he was about five or six years old. His whole body was trembling from the cold, but his forehead was hot like a ball of fire.

Chloe took off the wool blanket that the child was holding with his small hand, and then began to take off his sweat-drenched clothes herself.

“Co… cold… cold… !”

The pale child cried while clenching his teeth with his dry lips.

“Son, Charlie… !”

Eliza screamed in surprise, but Chloe didn’t hesitate to undress the child. Chloe opened the bag she brought with her, took out two different colored vials, opened them right away, and poured them on the child’s lips.

“Cough… Cough… !”

When she grabbed the coughing child’s nose and had him drink the whole vial, the child struggled and screamed that he was going to die.